Monday, December 28, 2015

Natural Treatments for Your Seasonal Allergies

http://www.naturopathic.org/content.asp?contentid=117

Natural Treatments for Your Seasonal Allergies

By Dr. Lisa Lewis, ND, LAc

An allergy is an overaggressive immune response triggered by ingesting certain foods, touching certain substances, or inhaling an irritant such as pollen or animal dander. Allergies to pollen, spores, mold, and dust (also called hay fever or allergic rhinitis) affect the respiratory system and are usually the most difficult to control.

Symptoms of hay fever are sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose, watery eyes, itchy eyes and nose, and headache. Hay fever is often seasonal (when pollen is in the air), but if constantly exposed to an offending substance (e.g., pet dander), symptoms can last year-round.

From a naturopathic viewpoint, allergies are often associated with weak adrenal, immune, and digestive functions. Natural treatments are used to support and improve those functions and to alleviate hay fever symptoms. For seasonal allergies, beginning natural treatments (e.g., Stinging nettles) 1–2 months before the season starts can help reduce the severity of symptoms. Good health can help ease allergy symptoms, and good health starts with nutrition. People sensitive to airborne allergens may also be sensitive to certain foods. Identifying and removing those foods from the diet can greatly improve health and reduce allergy symptoms. This is best accomplished by the elimination and challenge diet.

Nutrition

To reduce allergy symptoms, eat a moderately low-fat, high-complex-carbohydrate diet. Drink 1/2 of body weight in ounces of water daily (e.g., a 150 lb person would drink 75 oz of water).
  • Include a lot of the following foods in the diet:
  • Dark green, leafy vegetables
  • Deep yellow and orange vegetables
  • Nettles, bamboo shoots, cabbage, beet tops, beets, carrots, yams
  • Onions, garlic, ginger, cayenne, horseradish
Eliminate the following from the diet:
  • Alcohol, caffeine, and dairy products
  • Bananas and citrus fruit
  • Chocolate
  • Food colorings (tartrazine)
  • Peanuts
  • Red meat
  • Sugar
  • Wheat
Supplements, Vitamins and Minerals
  • Bioflavonoids (e.g., quercetin, catechin, and hesperidin) - Take 2-3 grams daily. When symptoms are severe, take up to 6 grams. Bioflavonoids are natural antihistamines and strongly anti-allergenic. Bromelain and vitamin C can enhance the action of bioflavonoids. Combination products are available.
  • Flaxseed oil - Take 1 tbsp daily.
  • Probiotics (e.g., lactobacillus acidophilus and bifidus) - Take one in the morning and one in the evening. Probiotics are bowel microflora organisms—microscopic bacteria that normally inhabit the intestines. Buy a quality product that has 1-4 billion organisms per capsule.
  • Multivitamin – High potency and customized if possible.
  • Vitamin A - Take 25,000 IUs daily.
  • Vitamin C - Take 1-3 grams 2 to 3 times daily or to bowel tolerance. (Bowel tolerance is the amount of vitamin C that can be taken without causing diarrhea. This amount is different for each person and can change if the need increases because the body is stressed, injured, or ill.)
  • Vitamin E - Take 400 IUs daily.
  • Zinc - Take 30 mg daily.
Herbal Medicine

Herbal medicines rarely have significant side effects when used appropriately and at suggested doses. Occasionally, an herb at the prescribed dose causes stomach upset or headache. This may reflect the purity of the preparation or added ingredients, such as synthetic binders or fillers. For this reason, it is recommended that only high-quality products be used. As with all medications, more is not better and overdosing can lead to serious illness and death.
  • Some of the herbs used to treat hay fever symptoms are as follows:
  • Dong quai (Angelica sinensis) - Used as an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.
  • Eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) - Reduces congestion and secretions. It is good for itchy eyes, sneezing, and excess mucus.
  • Gingko (Gingko biloba) - Contains bioflavonoids and is used as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.
  • Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) - Helps reduce allergic, inflammatory, and histaminic reactions and supports liver function.
  • Red clover (Trifolium pratense) - Helps build the body’s resistance to allergies.
  • Stinging nettles (Urtica dioica) - Used as an antihistamine and anti-inflammatory.
  • Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) - Reduces congestion and secretions.
Make a tea of one herb or a combination of herbs. Take 3 to 4 cups a day. If the herbs are in tincture form, combine several of them and take 1 -3 dropper 3 to 4 times a day.

Homeopathy

The standard dosage for acute symptom relief is 3 pellets of 30C every 4 hours until symptoms resolve. Lower potencies, such as 6X, 6C, 30X, may be given every 2 to 4 hours. If the right remedy is chosen, symptoms should improve shortly after the second dose. If there is no improvement after 3 doses, a different remedy is given. The following remedies have been shown to be effective in acute, symptomatic relief of hay fever or allergies:
  • Allium cepa - Indicated for bland, non-irritating discharge from eyes; copious, watery, acrid discharge from nose; hoarseness; and feeling better in cool air and open room.
  • Euphrasia - Indicated for symptoms such as copious, watery, acrid discharge from eyes; non-irritating discharge from nose; dry, hard cough; much sneezing; diarrhea; and feeling worse in open air.
  • Natrum muriaticum - Indicated for watery or egg white-like discharges; cold sores; no sense of taste or smell; headaches; and feeling better outside.
  • Nux vomica - Indicated for runny nose in daytime, then dry nose at night; violent sneezing; nose feels blocked but there is watery nasal discharge through one nostril; and feeling worse outside.
  • Wyethia - Indicated for extreme itching in the nose and throat; throat feels swollen; back of throat is dry and burning; and sensation as if something were in nasal passages.
Hydrotherapy
  • Castor Oil Packs
  • Constitutional Hydrotherapy
  • Cold cloth to the forehead
  • Hot foot baths
  • Nasal lavage
Other Recommendations

Acupuncture
  • Adequate rest and relaxation
  • Adrenal glandulars and thymus extracts to supportive the adrenal glands and the immune system.
  • Desensitization - Bee pollen and homeopathic remedies are used to desensitize people to the plants to which they are allergic.
  • Several minutes of vigorous exercise may relieve nasal congestion and stuffiness.

Friday, September 25, 2015

Can Supplements be taken to Help Anger... YES!

 Here is a link to a great article, but it does not share all the Vitamins, Minerals, and More! (just plugged my book, ebook, and app) but it's true!  This is just one more article that makes us more aware that what we are deficient of in food or Vitamin/Mineral can make a big change in how we act and view the world.   It's not hard to take a Vitamin/Mineral or just add some of the food that is associated with them to begin the process of becoming less deficient and feeling better!

http://www.livestrong.com/article/334688-supplements-to-help-anger/

Monday, September 14, 2015

It's all about the herbs!

Herbs have been very important since the first time my son and I branched
out into the unknown territory of natural alternatives. We knew that by putting
back into the body what was deficient that the symptoms over a period of time
would lessen, but in the meantime we still had to deal with them. Prescription drugs
suppress the symptoms, but in a short period of time they recur. When we use
herbs to work with the symptoms, they rarely have side effects and generally always
work with the body, not against it.
The herbal drops (smart longevity and amps 2) work together to decrease
hyperactivity, increase attention span, and work with the blood flow to the brain.
We initially decreased the prescription drugs and increased the natural drops so
that my son's body didn’t go through any kind of shock. This took time but the
rewards for taking the time and being consistent are endless. The compulsive
behavior and the aggression still had to be addressed so we added Valerian Root,
Kava Kava, and St. John’s Wort. These herbs are considered controversial for
some individuals but in other countries they have been used for hundreds of years,
even in hospitals. The three herbs listed above, provides a considerable amount of
control and better attitude was displayed without altering my son’s personality in
any type of derogatory manner. His appetite increased and he gained much needed
weight along with the developing better self-esteem.
I have noticed that by adding the above herbs to our program we are both
able to cope better with situations and people with whom we come in contact.
During the allergy season herbal teas lessen hyperactivity often displayed during
this season. It calms both of us and helps in sleep.
Herbs will be listed along with their uses to increase your knowledge and for
later application on the following page. I included examples of teas that we use
and a list of what you will need so that you can do this yourself at home.
Remember that it is always advisable to consult a knowledgeable physician
before implementing something new into your existing program.
Herbs -
Catnip - used to relax and soothe, has been known to be used instead
of marijuana, great in teas for insomnia.
Chamomile - helps you rest and eases crankiness
Valerian root - has been used to treat epilepsy brought on by strong
emotions, helps reduce insomnia, soothes anxiety, and lowers blood
pressure
Vervain - relieves nervousness,
Sweet marjoram - soothes nerves
Lavender - relaxes
Motherwort - eases insomnia, jittery nerves, anxiety
Passionflower - eases emotional turmoil, insomnia, headaches, relieves
muscular and nervous tension, and a natural sedative
Skullcap - brings about calming effect, counteracts antispasmodic
properties, relieves muscle tension caused by stress
St. John’s Wort - relieves depression, emotional problems, and
anxiety
Rosemary - eases nervous tension and defuses tension headaches
Hawthorne - opens coronary arteries improving blood flow to the
heart
Ginseng - normalizes out of whack body functions,
adaptogen/balancer
Licorice - used as a neutralizer in many herbal teas, anti
inflammatory, anti viral, and has anti allergic compounds
Peppermint - natural sedative and tastes great in teas
Spearmint - natural sedative and tastes great in teas
Comfrey root - used in other countries to help soothe nerves, promotes
growth of healthy cells, and provides a source of B12
Things needed to make tea:
blender
coffee filter
twisters
tea kettle
cup
herbs
honey
Calming tea
½ teaspoon peppermint(or spearmint)
½ teaspoon catnip
1 teaspoon honey
makes approximately two cups
Compulsive behavior
¼ teaspoon valerian root
¼ teaspoon catnip
¼ teaspoon licorice
¼ teaspoon passionflower
¼ teaspoon scullcap
1 teaspoon honey
makes approximately two to three cups
Children’s happy sleep
1 teaspoon Spearmint (or Peppermint)
1 cup milk
1 cookie
Headaches
¼ teaspoon feverfew
¼ teaspoon rosemary
¼ teaspoon passionflower
1 teaspoon honey
Place herbs in coffee filter and twist tight
Take twister and twist/seal
Place into one cup of water (or milk) - microwave for 3 minutes and
let stand or boil in tea kettle with two cups of water and boil
approximately 5 minutes and let stand)
Add honey last

Monday, August 17, 2015

The Importance Of Magnesium

Magnesium is very important to our health, relationships, and in balancing many ailments or deficiencies that our body expresses when it is not happy. 
My son had multiple learning and behavioral disorders that taking Magnesium helped in minimizing his aggressiveness, irritability, and helped with his sleep disorder. 
The Mineral Magnesium when deficient in your system will bring about seizures, personality changes, numbness and tingling, abnormal heart rhythms, loss of appetite, headaches, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness.
Personality changes are confusion, anger, nervousness, disorientation, easily aroused, and irritability.
Great food sources are green leafy vegetables, seafood, nuts, cocoa, whole grains, black-eyed peas, poultry, crab, spinach, fish, oysters, broccoli, and bran cereals.
When my son was young I addressed his symptoms with mega vitamin therapy. When the body is deficient you give it more and then size down to maintain. It’s always good to consult a physician or naturopathic physician as far as dosage. Adding the food sources listed above to your families diet in addition to supplementation if well worth the effort.
Remember that Rome was not built in a day and it takes time to fill what’s been empty. A lot of the information that I have listed above is in my books “Vitamins, Minerals, and More! Food Sources, Functions of the Body, and Deficiencies (Symptoms), and ADD, ADHD, Autism, OCD, and More!”
My hope is that information helps you to help yourself or those whom may need this information! Spread the word! Thank you!

Thursday, July 23, 2015

West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitos, and GARLIC

West Nile Virus, Lyme Disease, Fleas, Ticks, Mosquitos, and GARLIC
This is very important information from a multiple of sources to bring attention to the epidemic of the West Nile Virus and Lyme Disease. My own father died because he was bitten by mosquitos. He was walking in the woods with his sister and there were a bunch of dead birds surrounded by mosquitos. My father was bitten multiple times and it attacked his system and eventually shut down his organs. I miss him to this day and hope to share information that will help save lives. I wonder to this day if adding Garlic to his diet would have prevented his death as his sister was not affected. It is amazing how what we eat attracts or repels fleas, ticks, and mosquitos.
Alderleaf Wilderness College shares that if your diet is rich in whole grains, fruits, and vegetables have noticed fewer mosquito bites than those eating sugary foods. Another tidbit that what we eat impacts how we feel and what we attract. When we eat or intake Garlic it is offensive to ticks, fleas, and mosquitos.
Now to share information that I hope will help to save a life whether human or animal as Garlic contains Allicin which is antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal. Garlic is good at killing antibiotic resistant bacteria, reducing fungal infections (yeast infections), and fighting viruses/parasites. Stimulating infection fighting white blood cells makes Garlic the newest healing hero.
Garlic is an excellent source of potassium, iron, calcium, magnesium, manganese, B1, B6, and selenium. No wonder it is action packed to get the healing done! The Food Pharmacy book states in WWII British Md’s treated wounds with garlic reporting success in warding off septic poisoning and gangrene even typhus and cholera.
The Empire State Lyme Disease Association states that Vitamin B1, or thiamine, alters your human scent making you undesirable to mosquitos as stated earlier.
For a personal case study of 20 years is a family relative who lives in Vermont on 20 acres with lots of deer and woods on the property along with surrounding areas. Lyme Disease is a daily worry as ticks that are infected feed and mate on deer during their life cycle. Deer ticks are a large contributor but this disease has been increasing to almost all the states. So we ask, “How does a family that regularly takes walks in the country, through the woods, and through tall grass not ever get one tick?” This answer was given to me when I recently visited them in Bennington, Vermont as we were sitting down around the dining room table. My Uncle said we eat garlic in almost everything and love to roast it. He stated he’s been known to eat a couple of cloves with no problem as his family loves the taste. It must be inherited as I love garlic myself but not until after my father had passed did I find out all the wonderful properties it has.
My Uncle stated several times he’s had friends and visitors walk into the woods with him to hunt or to check out where General Stark camped on his land before the Battle of Bennington. What would happen 9 out of 10 times would be that he would walk out there in his shirt, shorts, and shoes without not even one tick while they would have one or more ticks on them. He now sees the correlation of eating garlic which is consistently in his system as a repellent for his family that eats it regularly.
A topical solution while out and about is applying a solution of 1 percent garlic combined with beeswax and petroleum jelly to ward off mosquitoes for up to 8 hours was shown to be affective per the Colorado State University Extension.
If your dog has fleas start adding garlic or granulated garlic to their food and you will see that fleas and ticks will no longer be a problem. I have personally had this success and have shared this information with many other animal lovers.
Italian and Swiss studies state those who eat garlic have increased protection from Esophageal Cancer, Colon Cancer, Breast Cancer, Ovarian Cancer, and Prostate Cancer. Just many more reasons to eat Garlic!
Additional research of those who have gotten Lyme Disease and West Nile Virus is that they ate larger quantities of garlic along with other therapies to fight the disease.
My hope is that this information saves a life. It’s not too late to take preventative measures to protect yourself and those you love. For more information about what can help health symptoms you may have please check out my book, “Vitamins, Minerals, and More!” Food Groups, Functions of the Body, Deficiencies(Symptoms) available in book, ebook, and app. App is available through Amazon, Google, and Apple.

Sunday, May 31, 2015

The Importance of Water in our Daily Lives

Today I thought I'd address the need for water in our daily lives. It's summer time and naturally we intake more to cool ourselves along with keeping us hydrated. But there are so many more reasons to drink more than a few 8 ounce glasses of water throughout the day.
Water helps to keep us feeling full which helps with each of us to intake less food, but also helps with the digestion process. I have underactive thyroid (hypothroid) and without drinking enough water life can be a bit uncomfortable. This is especially important when eating more carbs as they generally bind us up and increasing water intake helps to move it through the system more easily.
Also, I've had two doctors that told me that drinking an 8 ounce glass of water first thing in the morning helps with my waking up (cognitive progress). Sometimes I need a nice cool glass of water to speed up that effect!
Those of you with allergies will see a decrease in symptoms when drinking more water. When we are dehydrated our bodies produce histamines to fight allergies resulting in runny noses, watery eyes, etc. By drinking more water our body stays hydrated and lessens greatly the results of producing histamines. My own symptoms have decreased immensely from increasing my water consumption. One thing to remember is sometimes we think we are hungry but it's actually the body telling us it needs water, so have a big glass of water first.
Water is great for voiding out the toxins in our bodies,our kidneys process 200 quarts of blood daily and sifts out the toxins to be voided out in our urine. I don't even want to think about what would happen if we did not drink enough water to help the kidneys out! Not a pretty picture at all!
If you are experiencing muscle cramps or joint problems it a good time to drink more water to keep hydrated as that is another symptom the body expresses. Also may want to add a few Magnesiums to your glass of water as Magnesium is great for relieving cramps.
For more symptoms your body expresses when it does not have enough please check out my books. "Vitamins, Minerals, and More!" Food Groups, Functions of the Body, and Deficiencies(Symptoms) availabe in book, ebook, and App at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles, Google, and Apple.
Also, ADD, ADHD, Autism, OCD, and More is also availabe in book, ebook, and App. The App is ( ADD, Autism, and More!) at the same stores

Monday, May 25, 2015

The Importance of Vitamins

Vitamins: What They Do
Vitamins have specific role to play in the natural wear and tear of the body. There are many vitamin benefits that have a major impact on our overall health.
Vitamins are divided into two types: fat soluble and water soluble. Fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E and K) are stored in the fat tissues and liver. They can remain in the body up to six months. When the body requires these, they are transported to the area of requirement within the body with help of special carriers. Water soluble vitamins (B-vitamins and vitamin C) are not stored in the body like the fat soluble ones. They travel in the blood stream and need to be replenished everyday. Please click onto the link for the whole write up.http://www.exploresupplements.com/vitamins-sup…/vitamin-list For a detailed list of foods, what they do for your body, and deficiencies than please get my book Vitamins, Minerals, and More! at Amazon, Barnes & Nobles in book/ebook, Apple App, Amazon App, and Google App

Thursday, April 30, 2015

Nutritional Supplementation at All Ages

I realize that I come across all for natural alternatives to prescription drugs and that is mostly correct.  However, I see where there are circumstances where a prescription drug does the job when it is followed up with nutrition.   My mother is a prime example.  She is now 79 and lives near me, but there was a time when she was living in Florida under my sister's care and she was on medications that basically made her a walking zombie. My sister placed her into an assisted living facility and it was not good. My mother doesn't really remember it. Finally she got into a nice Assisted Living Facility and was blessed to have a doctor and pharmacist that saw she needed a change in her medications along with nutritional supplementation.

  Long story short I took over and moved my mother out where I live and she is living independently.  This is due to the fact that she is taking her prescriptions and a load of vitamins/minerals.    Each person's body is different and has specific needs and sometimes even though the prescription works it leads to deficiencies that have to be met through supplementation.  What is included in my mother's prescription list is Calcium w/D, B complex w/C, D3 1,000, Iron, B12, Fish Oil, and Potasium.  She takes about 2,700 mg of Potassium, but her body will not function right without it. This is where I know that there has to be a balance of feeding the body through diet or supplementation.  The two can work together.

 If my mother had not gotten off the wrong prescriptions and put on the right ones with supplementation she would not be where she is now. I have my mother back in body and mind after many years. It's nice to have her back and it's nice to have her close. This is yet another reason why I wrote my books to share information that everyone can apply.  For those who want to learn more about what foods to eat to decrease symptoms or the Vitamins to take to decrease symptoms. Vitamins, Minerals, and More! Food Groups, Functions of the body, and Deficiencies(Symptoms).  Available at Amazon in paperback, ebook, and app. Barnes & Nobles on ebook.  Apps available for Apple, Google, and Amazon.  Please share so that we all can get healthier in body and mind.  Thank you  http://www.michellebeverbooks.com